Chapter 48
CHAPTER
FORTY-EIGHT
SOFIYA
The containers stretch endlessly, their towering walls my only defense in this fucked up game of hide and seek. My chest heaves as I press myself into a corner, the metal cold against my bare skin. My feet are torn to shreds, and my wrists ache from pulling against the ropes, but I don’t stop. Because every time I do, I hear Igor catching up.
“Where are you, little dancer? You can’t hide from me forever,” he taunts me from the shadows.
I clamp my lips shut, muffling the sob trying to break free. I don’t know how long we’ve been out here, but I’m running out of energy. Fear gnaws at me, and exhaustion drags me down. Every step feels harder than the last.
The sound of his boots pounding closer sends my pulse racing. He’s toying with me, dragging out this game of cat and mouse, and savoring every second of my terror.
“I can’t wait to hear how sweet you sound when you scream.” His voice carries in the still night. “And trust me, Sofiya, I’ll make sure it lasts.”
I wish I could cover my ears and block out his taunts. He’s doing this to rattle me, and I won’t let him win.
I wait, counting to ten in my head, then sweep around a corner. The rough ground tears at my feet, but I force myself to keep moving, weaving between the containers.
Without my hands free I stumble, almost falling, but manage to catch my balance just in time.
A faint buzzing sound pulls my focus upward. I squint into the dark. Something hovers above me, barely visible against the night sky.
My heart stutters wondering what it could be. A bird? Something else?
“I’m going to ruin that pussy so thoroughly no one else will ever want you.”
Bile rises in my throat, but his ugly taunt only fuels my determination to keep going. I slip around another corner, but I trip over a loose pipe. My legs give out, and I slam into a container, collapsing to the ground. Before I can scramble back up, he’s there, looming over me.
“Caught you.” His voice drips with triumph as he grabs my arm and shoves me back down when I try to rise. My knees hit the concrete again, pain shooting up my legs. “Now, I get to break you.”
He wraps an arm around my waist and hauls me to my feet. I thrash, kicking wildly. My foot connects with his shin. He grunts but doesn’t let go.
“Bitch,” he growls. I twist harder, driving my heel into his knee. He stumbles, and I slam my head back into his face.
There’s a sickening crack, and hot blood sprays across my neck and shoulders. He curses, staggering back. I don’t think—I just run, using everything I have to put as much distance between us as possible.
I round a corner and press into the shadows. It’s quiet, but I know it won’t last. I’m out of options. Running and hiding is only delaying the inevitable. Giving up crosses my mind, but no. Niko wouldn’t want me to. He’d tell me to fight. He always said I was stubborn. Now I need to prove him right.
He’s closing in, his heavy breaths getting louder. I push myself to run faster, but he’s right behind me. Seconds later, he grabs my hair, yanking me back. I spin around before he slams me into the side of a container, pain ricocheting through my body.
His face is twisted with fury, blood running from his nose. “You’re going to regret that, you stupid cunt. I’m done playing nice.”
A scream bursts from my throat, the sound echoing around me.
If this is it, I won’t go down without a fight.